Stuart Lewis-Evans - Unlikely Formula 1 Driver
Short in height and light in weight, Stuart Lewis-Evans seemed an unlikely racing driver. Despite his small stature the Luton-born racer was a giant on the track. After cutting his teeth in the cut-and-thrust world of post-war Formula 3 he made his Formula 1 debut with the British Connaught team. Despite the company being on its last legs Lewis-Evans performed brilliantly, the highlight being a fourth place finish at Monaco in 1957.
After Connaught withdrew Lewis-Evans found a seat at another British team, Vanwall. He competed for the rest of 1957 driving for them, scoring a pole position at Monza and driving superbly at the terrifying Pescara circuit. Lewis-Evans performed well on fast, dangerous circuits. Driving once again for Vanwall in 1958 he finished third at Spa-Francorchamps. He was also on the podium in Portugal and fourth in his home Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The final race of 1958, in Morocco, saw Vanwall driver Stirling Moss narrowly lose out on the driver’s title to Ferrari’s Mike Hawthorn. The Vanwall team did manage to win the inaugural constructor’s title but were struck a cruel blow. During the race Lewis-Evans crashed heavily after his Vanwall’s engine seized. Terribly burned, he was flown to a burns specialist in London on team boss Tony Vandervell’s private plane. It was to no avail, and Lewis-Evans passed away some days later. His death had a profound effect on a young Bernie Ecclestone, who managed Lewis-Evans. The future Formula 1 supremo withdrew from the motor racing scene for some time.
Chris Bristow - Untamed Grand Prix Racer
Chris Bristow had a tragically brief Grand Prix career but showed enough potential to leave his contemporaries wondering what the Londoner could have achieved. After gaining a reputation as a very fast but accident-prone driver in British club racing Bristow was signed by the BRP (British Racing Partnership Team) to compete in Formula 2 and Formula 1. When team-mate Ivor Bueb was killed in 1959 Bristow almost withdrew from the sport. He experienced a similar loss the following year when his American team-mate Harry Schell died at Silverstone.
These tragedies did little to curb Bristow’s speed. After some astonishing performances in Formula 2 he was given his Formula 1 debut. In the International Gold Cup at Oulton Park he kept Stirling Moss and Jack Brabham very honest, finishing just behind the Formula 1 stars in third. In another non-championship Formula 1 race at Goodwood the mercurial Bristow started from pole position in his Cooper.
Bristow was just as impressive in Formula 1 World Championship events. At Monaco in 1960 he qualified third, only for the BRP team to decide that his experienced team-mate Tony Brooks should take the starting position. In Holland Bristow qualified seventh and had made up a place before retiring. At Spa-Francorchamps he became involved in a fierce battle with another driver who had a reputation as a Wildman, the Belgian Willy Mairesse. At the fast Burnenville corner Bristow got his line slightly wrong, resulting in a fearsome accident. Jack Brabham is quoted in the 2002 book, “Formula 1,The Autobiography”, edited by Gerald Donaldson and published by Weidenfeld and Nicolson;
“I led the race from start to finish but young Chris Bristow lost control of the Yeoman Credit Cooper and hit the side of a house plus a couple of concrete posts and a fence. The accident looked terrible when I passed, and it was.”
Bristow’s accident was bad enough to shake even the most experienced Formula 1 drivers. He had been decapitated in the crash and Jim Clark reported finding blood spattered on his Lotus after the race. Bristow’s accident, combined with Alan Stacey’s death in the same Grand Prix, made Clark contemplate giving up racing altogether.
Lost Talents of Pre-war Motor Racing.
Great Lost Talents of 1950s Motor Racing.
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